A WISHAW shop assistant could be jailed – after reacting against a youth who hurled racist abuse at him.

Mohammed Hanif, of Holytown, decked Thomas O’Dwyer after the 16-year-old burst into the grocer’s shop shouting racial insults and looking for a fight.

Hamilton Sheriff Court last week heard how Mohammed tolerated ten minutes of abuse from the teenager – being called a “black b*****d” and references made to the right-wing National Front – before drunken O’Dwyer was thrown to the ground by the 45-year-old victim.

O’Dwyer hit his head off a shelf after Mohammed pushed him, suffering damage to his skull.

When police arrived, Mohammed was arrested and taken into custody, where he remained for two days.

The father-of-three pled guilty to a charge of assault in court last week.

He now faces the threat of a prison sentence when he returns to court in February.

As a result of the incident, Mohammed also lost his job.

He said: “All I was trying to do was get this guy out so we could get on with our business.

“People in the shop were afraid to leave because of him.

“I shouldn’t have lashed out, but there is only so much a person can take. I am very sorry that he was injured but everyone I have spoken to can’t believe what happened to me.

“I am now left with a criminal record for assault which will cause me problems if I try to get a licence for another business.”